Pivot back button



NOV. 20, 1934. L, SCHUSTER 1,981,813

PIVOT BACK BUTTON Filed Dec. 28, 1932 k INVENTOR LOUIS S'chuster'.

' ATTORQI -IY;

Patented Nov. 20, 1934 PATENT: OFFICE PIVOT BACK BUTTON Louis Schuster, Waterbury, Com, assignor to; L. G. White Coinpany, Waterbury, Comm, a corporation of Connecticut Application December 28, 1932 Serial No. 049,122

8 Claims.

This invention relates to buttons, and other similar articles to be attached to a garment, and more particularly to a pivot button which may be assembled in permanent condition in a very simple manner.

One object of the invention is to provide a pivot button of the above nature in which the customary metal back is formed from hardened metal, such as steel, said back havinga plurality of inclined tongues formed therein for securely gripping the shank of a tackor stud of softer metal after it has been inserted through the material to which the button is to be attached.

A further object is to provide a button of the above nature in which the gripping tongues of the hardened button back are provided with a plurality of radial concave reinforcing ribs which serve to enhance the strength and durability of said tongues.

A furtherobject is to provide a button of the above nature in which the parts thereof may be easily assembled and attached to a sheet of fabric or other material without the necessity of employing tools.

A further object is to provide a button of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to asvery eflicient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view there have been illustrated on the accompanying drawing several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the button, the attaching stud, and sheet material, in separated relationship.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in assembled position.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the button back.

Fig. 4 is a transverse fragmentary sectional view. of the button back on an enlarged scale, the section being taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view, partly in section, of an ornamental hat trimming also embodying the invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of button.

Referring now to the drawing in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 indicates a two-piece button comprising an ornamental top shell 10a and a hardened button back 11. The top shell 1011 may be constructed of any desired material, such as metal, and may be stamped with any suitable ornamental design or shape, and be covered with any material, such as cloth, leather, celluloid and the like.

The button back 11 is shaped in the form of a dished shell, and the shell 10a is adapted to be attachedthereto by spinning or crimping the flanged edge .12 of said shell 10a over the edge of said back 11. The button back 11 is preferably made from soft steel, which is hardened to a predetermined temper through a process of heat treating, carbonizing, case-hardening or the like. After being hardened, it may be given a finishing coat of lacquer or enamel, or the back may be electroplated if desired.

The central portion of the button back 11 is provided with an upwardly domed section 13 formed substantially in the shape of a cone, the base of said cone forming an annular reinforcing bead 14.

The cone 13 is pieced at its apex with a small circular aperture 15, from which extend a plurality of radiating slits 16, four in this instance. The slits 16 provide the central portion of the conical projection with a plurality of resilient gripping toggle tongues 17 which are adapted to frictionally engage the shank 18 of a commercial thumb tack 19 made of more ductile metal than said butt-on back 11. The aperture 15 must be smaller than the shank, say from .003 inch to .004 inch. Additional strength is imparted to the tongues 17 by means of radial raised ribs 20, one of which is formed in the center of each tongue 17. The ribs 20 are made concave outwardly and are preferably formed with a taper, converging toward the aperture 15, as best shown in Fig. 3.

The fabric 21, to which the button 10 is attached, is adapted to be located between the dome-shaped head 22 of the tack and the button back 11. This construction allows the button to pivot or twist about its fixed position without tearing or otherwise injuring the fabric. If, however, force is applied to pull off the button, the toggle action of the inclined tongues 17 will cause them to bite into the metal shank of the thumb tack and positively prevent the removal of said button.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 5, the invention is embodied in a hat ornament consisting of a pair of spherical buttons" 23 and 24 attached to the opposite ends of a single doublepointed shank or pin 25. The spherical head 26 of each button 23 and 24 is rigidly secured to a hardened steel back 2'7 of dished formation. As in the first form of the invention, each back 27 is also provided with a slitted domed section 28, forming a bead 29.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 6, a hardened button back 31 is illustrated, which is of identical construction to the button backs 11 of the first two forms, except that its edge 32 is flared outwardly and embedded in a solid button head 33 of plastic molded composition. The center portion of the head 33 is cored out at as to provide suitable clearance for the shank 35 of a thumb tack 36.

If desired, the head 37 of the tack 36 may be made small enough in diameter to allow it to become embedded in the inverted domed section 38 fiush with the back of the garment to which the button is attached, thus avoiding objectionable protruding parts.

Operation.

When it is desired to assemble the button 10' upon a sheet of any desired material, the thumb tack 19 will first be inserted through said sheet 21 and then the pointed end of the shank 18 will be forced through the aperture 15 of the hardened button back 11 and pushed into the button as far as it will go. The resiliency of the tongues 17 will permit themto yield readily in an outward direction during this inserting operation, so that the button may be easily attached by hand alone without the use of any tool. After the button has been attached, however, it will be held permanently in position, and the toggle action of the tongues 11 will positively prevent separation of the button 10 from the tack 19 without stripping the metal from the shank thereof.

While the invention has been herein illustrated by means of an ornamental button having a concealed tack driven into the hardened back thereof, it is to be understood that the tack may have an ornamental head and a shank which is driven into a concealed hardened socket, within the general spirit and scope of the invention.

One advantage of the present invention lies inthe fact that it may be applied equally as well to the manufacture of very small buttons as to large buttons, whereas in former buttons employing hardened plates made separately from the button backs, only relatively large buttons could be made.

While there have been disclosed in this speci fication several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desiredto secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a garment attachment device, a top shell, a hardened one-piece back secured to said shell, said back having a depressed annular bead and an inner raised apertured dome section, said domed section being slitted to form resilient tongues, and an attaching member having a pointed pin adapted to be adjustably forced through said aperture, said pin having locking engagement with said tongues, the shank of said pin being continuously smooth and uninterrupted throughout its length, said shank having such a length with respect to the interior spacing between said back and said shell as to provide for adjustable connection between said thumb tack and said gripping tongues.

2. In a pivot button, an ornamental shell, a hardened one-piece metal back attached thereto, said back having a depressed bead and a domed section provided with a central aperture, said dome having a plurality of slits equally spaced about said. aperture and radiating therefrom.

back shell having a depressed bead and an upwardly domed spherical central section integral therewith, said domed section having a central aperture at its apex, and also having a plurality of slits radiating from said aperture for forming a plurality of resilient gripping tongues, and a thumb tack having an enlarged head and a smooth pointed'shank adapted to be adjustably forced through said aperture for attaching the button to a piece of fabric, said shank being slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of said aperture, so that said tongues will be spread apart when said shank is inserted and will bite into the shank by a toggle action when force is applied to remove said button, said shank having such a length with respect to the interior spacing between said back and said shell as to provide for adjustable connection between said thumb tack and said gripping tongues.

a In a pivot button, a top shell, a back shell of hardened metal secured thereto, said back shell having a depressed bead and anupwardly domed central section, said domed section having a central aperture at its apex, and also having a plurality of slits radiating from said aperture for forming a plurality of resilient gripping tongues, and a thumb tack having an enlarged head and a" pointed shank adapted to be forced through said aperture for attaching the button to a piece of fabric, said shank being slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of said aperture, so that said tongues will be spread apart when said shank is inserted and will bite into the shank when force is applied to remove said button, each tongue having a raised rib for strengthening the same.

5. In a pivot button, a top shell, a back shell of hardened metal secured thereto, said back shell having a depressed bead and an upwardly domed central section, said domed section having a central aperture at its apex, and also having a plurality of slits radiating from said aperture for forming a plurality of resilient gripping tongues, and a thumb tack having an enlarged head and a pointed shank adapted to be forced through said aperture for attaching the button to a piece of fabric, said shank being slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of said aperture so that said tongues will be spread apart when said 6. In a pivot button, a top shell, a one-piece back shell of hardened metal secured thereto, said diameter of said aperture, so that said-tongues will be spread apart when said shank is inserted and will bite into the shank with a toggle looking action when force is applied to remove said button, said shank having such a length with respect to the interior spacing between said back and said shell as to provide for adjustable connection between said thumb tack and said gripping tongues.

7. In an attachment device, a hollow headmember, a hardened one-piece metal back permanently secured to said head member, said back having an inner raised apertured dome section which is slitted to form a plurality of resilient tongues, and an attaching member having a pointed pin of relatively soft metal adapted to be adjustably forced through the aperture in said dome section as far as desired, the shank of said pin being continuously smooth and uninterrupted throughout its length, said tongues being adapted to bite into said shank with a toggle action when force is applied to separate said head member and back from said attaching member and pin, said shank having such a length with respect to the interior spacing between said back and said shell as to provide for adjustable connection between said thumb tack and said gripping tongues.

8. In a garment trimming, an elongated metal pin having pointed shanks at each end, and a pair of ornamental members having outer shells and hardened one-piece apertured backs through which said pointed shanks are adapted to be inserted, each of said backs having a domed section provided with a plurality of slits to form resilient tongues, said tongues being in tight toggle engagement with said shanks, said shanks being smooth and uninterrupted and of such length with respect to the interior spacing between said shells and backs as to provide for adjustable attachment for said ornamental members on said pin.

LOUIS SCHUSTER. 

